Drapery, drapery heading, and supporting means therefor



E. s. ATKINS May 19, 1953 DRAPERY, DRAPERY HEADING, AND SUPPORTING MEANS THEREFOR Filed Oct. 11, 1949 77 75 INVENTOR Bruce-m .5. 1917mm ATTORNEYS Patented May 19, 1953 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 'DRAPERY, DRAPERY HEADING, AND SUPPORTING MEANS THEREFOR Elizabeth SrAtkins, Asheville, N. 0.

Application October 11, 1949, Serial N0.'120,156

- The pleatsand the spaces therebetween are measured and marked with pins, and the heading at each pair of pins is brought. together to form the basis of pleats which are stitched by machine. The top edge of thepleat is maneuvered into usually three approximately equal divisions known in the trade as clover leaves and they are tacked at one point by hand. The lower edge of the heading is maneuvered into a continuation of the pleat folds and tacked, usually by hand, through all of the eighteen thicknesses of mate rial usually present at the point of tacking. The drapery hook is then sewed to the back of each pleat by hand, a procedure which is slow and tedious even for skilled workers. Pin hooks may he pushed in, out it usually requires substantial care and patience to locate the hooks properly so that the drapery hangs properly, and pins of this type frequently fall out while the draperies are being hung.

If the draperies are not to be hung immediately, storage is a problem, especially in professional drapery workrooms, from which draperies must be delivered in perfect condition. The permanent formation of the pleats makes it difficult to store l the draperies and for this reason they are frequently laid out fiat on a Work table and covered, thus eliminating the table from use during the storing period. When draperies are to hedrycleaned or washed, the hooks are usually ripped off to prevent tearing the material in cleaning, and then must he "re-sewed by hand before the draperies again can be hung.

If pin hooks are used, they are easy to remove, and replacing them is fairly easy, although there is always danger of pricking" the fingers. Moreover, draperies with pin hook-s seldom hang evenly, and the hooks are subject to other wellknown disadvantages. A good job of pressing is difficult to achieve around the pleats, even for professional cleaners and pressers.

An important dialect of the present invention isto provide a novel type of heading, or stiiiening material, which has formed-as a part thereof or ermanently attached thereto novel means for connecting the drapery supporting hooks.

A further objecti-s to provide. a novel drapery heading stiffening material which maybe manufactured and sold as. long rolled strips which readily maybe cut off to desired lengths and at-. tached -to.-the drapery material with the greatest possible easeland simplicitylto. facilitate the. formation or, the finished draperies, and particularly pleated draperies, the heading material embodying supporting hook engaging means which greatly facilitate the. formation of the pleats.

A further object is to provide a material or the character referred towherein the drapery hook engaglngimeansare so formed relative to each other as 'tofacilitate. greatly the formation of the inner folds of the pleats and wherein the hookengaging means, when the folds are brought intoproper relationship, are, arranged in vertical alignment Wh'ereloyallare adapted to receive a single shank of a, novel type of drapery hook,

'A'further object is to provide a. novel drapery heading embo'dyingthe stiffening material referred to whereby pinch-pleated finished draperies maybe quickly and easily made and whereby the draperies may be quickly and accurately hung and supported in proper position with the pleats held upright without any sagging or unevenness. V

A further and important object of the inven--' tion is to provide a draperyheading which lends itself readily to use either as stationary draperies or draw curtains and wherein the pleats are easily formedand easily removed to flatten the curtain for storage and ironing.

A furtherobj-ect is to provide in combination with theheading structures, novel supporting hook which serves" 'tc-hold the pleats of each group in properrorm and which are easily removeeyto flatten the pleats when desired which is frictiohally held in place against accidental removal while the drapery is being a plurality of the pleat folds partially assembled,

Figure 3 is a similar view of the same, showing a completed pleat with a supporting hook therefor in position,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the upper end of a drapery looking from the outside thereof and showing completed ments referred to may be stitched as at 30 for attaching the elements to the strip I0 along the lines I I and I4. The tabs 29 are somewhat exaggerated and need be only sufficiently wide to prevent the stitches 30 from pulling out. Along the lines I2 and I3 are attached similar but relatively longer attaching elements 32 and 33. These elements are stitched as at 34 to form them into loops 35 to receive the pin shank referred to below. The elements 32 and 33 are stitched to the strip II] along the lines I2 and I3 respectively along lines 36, spaced from the lines 34 for a purpose to be described. It will be noted that all of the supporting elements 22 to 25 and 32 and 33 are offset vertically from each other, and accordingly these elements have the loop portions therepleats as they will appear in the room, if a pinch clip is employed,

Figure 5 is a face view of a heading hook adapted for use with the drapery,

Figure 6 is a similar View of a drapery hook adapted for supporting the drapery,

Figure '7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form of heading stiffening material,

and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a pinch pleat clip adapted for use with the invention in forming the highly desirable pinch pleats illustrated in Figure 4.

Referring to Figure 1, the numeral II] designates a strip of stiffening material which preferably is made in long strips and sold in rolled form to be cut off in lengths. The material III is preferably crinoline, buckram or some similar relatively stiff form-retaining fabric commonly used in making headings for draperies. At spaced points along the material, there are printed lines I I, I2, I3 and I4, preferably in the form of spaced dots as shown in Figure 1 to form pleat fold guide lines in a manner to be described. Printed or otherwise applied near and parallel to the lower edge of the strip II! is a similar line I5, th purpose of which also will be described below. Adjacent and parallel to the upper edge of the strip is also printed a similar line I6, preferably of dots, to act as a guide in attaching the body of the drapery material indicated by the numeral IT. The inner surface of the strip In between the line I6 and the top edge of the strip is provided with a suitable adhesive I8 for positioning the drapery material I! relative to the strip I0 prior to the stitching of the edge of the drapery material I? in a manner to be described.

A plurality of hook-engaging elements are embodied with or attached to the strip I I] at the lines I I to I4 inclusive. These elements may be woven as a part of the strip ID or they may be separately formed and attached thereto in any desired manner. In the present instance, the attaching or supporting elements have been shown as formed of stiff fabric sewed to the strip Id. The arrangement of these elements is subject to great variation, and it will become apparent that the arrangement shown in Figure 1 is purely illustrative.

Referring to Figure l, the numerals 22 and 23 designate supporting elements attached to the strip I0 along the line II, while similar elements 24 and 25 are attached to the strip II] along the line I4. Each of the elements 22 to 25 inclusive is relatively short vertically, and each is bent toform a pin shank receiving loop 28 and tabs 29 projecting therefrom whereby each of the eleof adapted to be brought into vertical alignment as shown in Figure '3. It will become apparent that in order to assembled the loops of the supporting elements in the manner referred to, they must be not only vertically ofifset but of such relative lengths as not to OVerlap vertically.

The lines II to I4 inclusive and their associated supporting elements are repeated at intervals along the strip I0 throughout the roll of such material. In the spacing of the lines II to I4 of each group from each other and the spacing of each group of such lines from the next adjacent groups are matters of choice. In practice, for average drapery installations, it is preferred that the repetition of the lines I I to M inclusive occur every eight inches on centers. It is further preferred that each line ll be spaced four inches from the line M of the associated groups of four lines. Therefore, each line I4 will be arranged preferably four inches from the line II of the next adjacent repeated pattern.

In forming a unit strip ID for a given drapery, the strip will be cut approximately along one of the lines I I (or along one of the lines I I) depending upon the vertical edge of the drapery from which the arrangement of the strip I0 is started, and in Figure 1, the edge of the strip has been cut adjacent a line II to eliminate the adjacent supporting elements 22 and 23 and leave the strip III with a free edge. To such edge is attached a preferably preformed supporting element 4!! formed of the same material as the supporting elements previously described, but of a length approximately corresponding to the vertical distance between the lines of dots I5 and I6, if the pinch clip to be described is not used. The supporting element 40 is preformed with a pin shank receiving loop 4| by stitching the element 40 along the line 42. The element 40 is then stitched to the free end of the strip II], for example along the line 43, and it will become apparent that this is done prior to the attaching of the drapery material I! to the strip II? in the manner to be described. The end of the strip ID to which the supporting element 40 is secured will be at the inner edge of the finished drapery, and the outer edge will be preferably treated in the same manner.

Before being attached to the drapery I I, the strip I0, in accordance with the foregoing description, will be a complete finished unit ready for attachment to the drapery. What will be the upper edge of the drapery is turned over as at 50 to form a hem stitched to the body of the drapery as at 5 I. The edge of the hem 50 will be straight, and with the strip II! lying on a suitable table, the drapery will be arranged above the strip with the hemmed edge 50 overlapping the upper edge of the strip I0 and with the drapery I! projectand 33, as shown in Figure 3. The upper extremity of the straight shank SI of either type of hook shown in Figures and 6 is then inserted through the loop I6 of the clip 15, if such clip is used, then into the loop of the supporting element 25 from the bottom thereof, and then successively through the loops of the supporting elements 23, 33, 32, 24, and 22. When the shank 6! has been pushed upwardly through the loops to its uppermost limit of movement, the loop 25 will rest on the clip 15 and such clip will be at the bottom of the shank 6|, with the bottom edge of the clip engaging the sharp bend 62 to be supported thereby while being held in position by the adjacent hook portion 63. The various loops are made of relatively stiff material and their stiffness may be increased, if desired, by immersing them in some suitable coating composition such as shellac. The weight of the adjacent pleated portion of the drape will then be supported by the clip '15. It is not necessary to sew the pleat folds together, since all of the inner pleat folds will be held securely in position by the hook shank BI. The pleat thus formed will appear as shown in Figure 4, each of the completed pleats being indicated as a whole by the numeral 85.

Each'of the pleats is formed and held in position in'the same manner. The shank SI of one of the hooks is inserted in the loop at each vertical edge ofthe drapery, the lower edge of each supporting element 4| engaging the sharp bend 62 at the bottom of the hook. Hooks of the same size and type will be used throughout the drapery, and accordingly all of the supporting bends 61 or 12 of the hooks will be equidistantly spaced from the top of the drapery. These hooks are then engaged with the supporting rod or with any elements carried-by the rod or other support for this purpose. When the drapery is so hung, the top edge will be perfectly straight; all of the pleats will match relatively perfectly; the pleats will be equidistantly spaced, and all will be supported in a perfectly upright position. There will be no unevenness or sagging of any part of the drapery. Assuming that the pinch clip 1'5 has been used, the pleats will appear as shown in Figure 4, tapering to decrease in width downwardly to the region of the clip and then flaring outwardly beneath such clip. This is a highly desirable type of pleat much sought after by homemakersand usually satisfactorily provided only in professional workrooms. The present invention permits any relatively inexperienced homemaker to make and hang draperies with headings which have a highly professional appearance. At the same time, this heading is a great asset to professional drapery workrooms.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure '7, the same procedure is followed as before, except that vertically elongated supporting loops are not employed. The ring-like loops in Figure 7 are wholly satisfactory, the stiffness of the material of the strip 80 being depended upon to prevent sagging or bulging of the material between the vertically spaced loops 8I of each of the vertical lines I I to I4 inclusive. It is desirable when such form of loops is employed to provide one of the loopsin close proximity to the horizontal line I5 at each of the fold lines I I to I4 inclusive. When such bottom loops are employed, all of them will be receivable in the narrow space inwardly of the hook portion 63, each loop except the bottom one being supported on the next adjacent lower loop and the lowermost loop being supported by the bottom of the hook if the clip I5 is not used.

This arrangement is advantageous in that it distributes the weight of each pleated portion of the drapery equally along the lines I I to I4 inclusive.

The folds are formed with the strip 80 of Figure 7 in the same manner as previously described, the heading being bent inwardly along the lines I I to I 4 inclusive to bring all of the loops 8| into vertical. alignment. Of course, it is not necessary that all of the loops be in perfect vertical alignment before the hook shank SI is inserted. It is sufficient that the folds be formed and the hook shank inserted through the four lowermost loops 8|, after which the remaining loops can be picked up one at a time as the shank BI is moved vertically upwardly. It is for this reason that the loops 8 I, other than the lowermost ones, are staggered so as to facilitate the succesive picking up of the loops by the shank 6 I.

It will be apparent that any size hook 63 or 10 may be employed, depending upon the type of supporting rod or the like and the height at which it is desired to support the upper edge of the drapery relative to the supporting rod. The pinch clip I5 need not be employed unless desired, but as suggested above, most homemakers desire draperies formed with pinch pleats.

The construction involves quite a. number of highly important advantages, most of which will be apparent from the foregoing description. Particular attention is invited to the fact that a homemaker may buy the strips I0 or 80 by the yard with the supporting loops already attached, except for the end loops. The homemaker need attach only the end supporting loops 4| and it is quite simple for her to stitch the drapery heins 50 and 55 to the strip I6 and to provide the anchor stitching 53. The stitching 52 is done with the body of the drapery extending upwardly from the strip I0, and the stitching 52 accordingly will not show on the right side of the drapery. It is not necessary to tack the pleats or to sew the hooks to the draperies. It is quite easy to bend the pleat folds and insert the shanks of the hooks in the supporting loops, and the number of operations required in the making of a completed drapery is much smaller than the number of operations commonly performed. Accordingly, much time is saved in the making of the draperies.

No problem. is involved in the storing of the draperies since it merely is necessary to withdraw the shanks of the supporting hooks, whereupon the heading is free to assume a perfectly flat shape for storage. Accordingly, if the draperies are made in a shop or factory, one may store the draperies without using valuable table surfaces, until he is ready to install the draperies. The complete releasing of the pleats is also highly advantageous when it is desired to wash or clean the draperies. The hooks ma be released without cutting any stitchings, and the draperies may be readily ironed perfectly flat. Thereafter, the draperies may be stored until ready for hanging, perhaps the next season, and the operation described above is repeated as to the folding of the heading and the inserting of the hooks in position.

It also will be particularly noted that a homemaker need not do any measuring or use any particular care in forming the pleats. No trial and error is necessary to achieve uniformity in the pleats since it merely is necessary to fold the heading on the lines marked on the stiffening strips as purchased in the stores, and accordingly, the pleats may be formed in a fraction of the. time; previously: required. It is not dap gttand theilgpps oteac necessary to: measure and; the, fold lines 10 5th with pinsior therlilge. f

As. previously. stated, therend ttach n ele: ment 4M3x at each end Q2 the... drapery. has i s lower 5 endterminating at the, line. 15 it nQ piIilQh Cli 1.5 is em loyed In such cas theheglssates: j .s 1 ciated with thetpleats wilt have, the lower ex: b a the 19.. tremitiest engaging. the loops at he e emen s. 25 1 and a eip pl m w andtneterminationpi each end ele entfiita 53 4 4 39 extendiige h11$ fi r line 1.5,-

pro ide for the. reeenti n f a QQl; shank all. with the hook maxing ta a leyel corresponding to. the. ROS on. of" Bach k199i; .employedwith the, pleats. I

re a p nch 01 is employed, each end element it extends u lower extremity of the stifieninstrip, a 1. in insures, t and 2, in whichcase the end 2 9$ wiilcorresplond in. positinn t all 9f; the emain:- hooks. Thus, in eithercase, e. tea eds-e .u the rapery will be su ported heri l .t The types or heeks shown in F ures and 6 @914 s es egh h lt particularly ooperate with the dra ery head: hemefiqe e d lns mg As previ sly stated, ea h. hoe]; po t on Whey the shin '51 is, biased toward the a sociated. traight shank are th -lo p 6!; and when ea hhq t: i ser edi etit on, at 25 a alias a a he: aid l nes W 1 t forth pleats a d 1" a nma s tn I to v jrtic iii n a slit HQ)?" are k? .5 d io to hat. i iiskil eter the rinnin acti n nte red in eatly t rtins the. shi -ems ate in at vea' h oi th leats a y desi ipping, .4 .erdsnrine: placed in, pot.-

vertm :99

steam-earn nods fr'tq ,Srrpef .11

the art ller and t me a-re the medi a term th V11 theii peredee t horizontally spaced grgup s loops prieigghm frorn the inner face of said strip, the loops of each group being yerti cally ofiset whereby, when the 3 2 i ldes ye tiee it r a eesc id nt w therespectiye loops, said strip andsaiddrapery body will be-formedinoutwardly extending pleats with the loops of each group in vertical alignll tmtee da r p being folded? 924$ 5 @EEP tendin J I SeFVi 5 i9 holdt n; a and at he lowe e ir m t q the sh nk a nsaid rip 5L thereqfe i aeeah e e m n t Q tQH f as alon s id oss o each rew wherehr all 9 he 2 a drap e ry heading a d rapery leggy, a Will be in horizontal alignment, each stiffening strip ii-r gged against the inner face of extending to lower ezgtrgmity f 1 sme m said drapery body adjacent the upper edge thereb U of, said strip having horizontally spaced groups r5;

ofirertical indicating linesrthereon, at least one a d loop carried by said strip coincidental with each said strip.

of said lines, the lines of each group being hori- 75 5. In a drapery heading, a drapery body, a

K i l1 stiffening strip fixed against the inner face of said drapery body adjacent the upper edge thereof, said strip having horizontally spaced groups of vertical indicating lines thereon, at least one loop carried by said strip coincidental with each of said lines, the lines of each group being horizontally spaced apart and the loops of each group being so arranged along the associated lines that when the strip is folded along the lines of each group, the loops of such lines may be brought into vertical alignment and the drapery body between said lines will be extended outwardly to form pleats, said strip being folded as indicated to bring the loops of each group into vertical alignment and a supporting hook having a straight upwardly extending shank inserted through the aligned loops of each group and serving to hold them in aligned position and maintain said strip folded along said lines, said strip having a guide line spaced from and parallel to the lower edge of the strip, one loop associated with each group of lines having its lower extremity substantially coincident with said guide line and each hook having a bend at the lower extremity of the shank thereof engageable against the bottom of said one loop of each group whereby all of the books will be in horizontal alignment, and a pinch clip receiving a plurality of the folds formed along the vertical lines of each group, said pinch clip lying wholly below said guide line and having a loop through which the shank of said hook extends.

6. For use in making a drapery heading, an elongated strip having a plurality of groups of loops projecting from the inner face of the strip, each of said groups comprising loops spaced apart longitudinally of the strip and ofiset transversely of the strip in a manner such that when the strip is folded along transverse lines corresponding to the location of the various loops, the openings in such loops will be in transverse alignment, and said groups being longitudinally spaced apart a distance greater than the longitudinal spacing between adjacent ones of said loops of each group.

'7. For use in making a drapery heading, an elongated strip having longitudinally spaced groups of transverse indicating lines thereon, and at least one loop carried by said strip coincidental with each of said lines, the lines of each group being longitudinally spaced apart and the loops of each group being so arranged along the associated lines that folding of the strip along the lines of each group will bring the loops of such lines into transverse alignment.

8. For use in making a drapery heading, an elongated strip having longitudinally spaced groups of transverse indicating lines thereon, and at least one loop carried by said strip coincidental with each of said lines, the lines of each group being longitudinally spaced apart and the loops of each group being so arranged along the associated lines that folding of the strip along the lines of each group will bring the loops of such lines into transverse alignment, said strip having a guide line spaced from and parallel to a longitudinal edge of the strip, one loop associated with each group of lines having its outer extremity substantially coincident with such guide line.

9. For use in making a drapery heading, an elongated stiifening strip having longitudinally spaced groups of transverse indicating lines thereon, and at least one loop carried by said strip coincidental with each of said lines, the lines of each group being longitudinally spaced apart and the loops of each group being so arranged along the associated lines that folding of the strip along the lines of each group will bring the loops of such lines into transverse alignment, said strip having a guide line spaced from and parallel to a longitudinal edge of the strip to act as a guide in securing the drapery to the strip, all of said loops lying inwardly of such guide line, said strip having adhesive applied thereto between said guide line and the outer edge of the strip to act as temporary securing means for the drapery prior to the permanent securing thereof to said strip.

10. For use in making a drapery heading, an elongated stiffening strip having longitudinally spaced groups of transverse indicating lines thereon, and at least one loop carried by said strip coincidental with each of said lines, the lines of each group being longitudinally spaced apart and the loops of each group being so arranged along the associated lines that folding of the strip along the lines of each group will bring the loops of such lines into transverse alignment, said strip having a guide line spaced from and parallel to one longitudinal edge of the strip to act as a guide in securing the drapery to the strip, all of said loops lying inwardly of such guide line, such strip having a further guide line spaced from and parallel to the other longitudinal edge of the strip, one loop associated with each group of lines having its outer extremity substantially coincident with such other guide line.

11. For use in making a drapery heading, an elongated stiffening strip of substantial width having longitudinally extending guide lines spaced from and parallel respectively to the opposite longitudinal edges of the strip, groups of transverse indicating lines on said strip, the lines of each group being longitudinally spaced from each other and each group of lines being substantially spaced longitudinally from the adjacent group of lines, and at least one transversely elongated loop carried by said strip coincident with each line of each group, said loops being formed of relatively stiif material and the loops of each group being transversely oifset from each other whereby, upon the folding of said strip along said indicating lines, said loops of each group may be brought into transverse alignment, the outer extremity of the outermost loop of each group with respect to one of said longitudinally extending guide lines being substantially coincident with such guide line.

ELIZABETH S. ATKINS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,014,196 Williamson Jan. 9, 1912 1,143,100 Brewington June 15, 1915 1,341,684 Sweney June 1, 1920 1,958,436 Hess May 15, 1934 2,113,953 Steinberger Apr. 12, 1938 2,115,593 Strube Apr. 26, 1938 2,302,630 Hess Nov. 17, 1942 2,325,056 Hess July 27, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 575,357 Great Britain Feb. 14, 1946 

